Firearm simulating weapon toys that fire a liquid such as water are well known. Toy water guns have been a safe and popular children's toy for decades. Toy water guns have enjoyed continued popularity because they raise the level of realistic play above non-projectile-firing toy weapons. A high level of enjoyment is achieved with these toy weapons because they simulate real firearms by firing a projectile, a stream of water, and, if the shooter's aim is good, the opponent is actually hit.
Many prior art toy water guns are squirt-type devices in which the water under pressure is ejected as a water stream, usually through a small orifice or constricting nozzle. The water pressurization may be achieved either by pumping action or by air pressurization of the water.
Exemplary of such prior art water guns are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,302,963 of Lefever, U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,838 of Butler et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,591,071 and 4,757,946, both of Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,587 of Graves, U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,274 of Lee et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,987 of D'Andrade.
A disadvantage of such prior art water guns is that the shooter must be relatively precise in aiming to insure that the water stream hits the intended target.
The present invention provides the popular advantages of traditional water guns, but projects a water charge that may be in the form of a burst or shower of water that is more likely to land on the intended target without the need for precision in aiming.